This invention relates to rearview mirrors for vehicles and, more particularly, to an improved, modular rearview mirror assembly incorporating electrical components such as lamps and switches within the assembly for illumination of various portions of the vehicle interior, displays or other instruments of various types all of which are mounted and assembled via an integrated carrier member.
Prior rearview mirror assemblies for vehicles incorporating lamp assemblies with map or reading lights, switches, or other instrumentation such as compasses, light sensors and controls therefor, while functioning well for their intended purposes, have been relatively complicated, involved and expensive to manufacture on a high volume basis. More specifically, many operations have been necessary to properly assemble the various parts in a rearview mirror housing or case having such additional features to arrive at the desired product. These various parts have, in many cases, been difficult and tedious to handle and position requiring high intensity, expensive manual labor which has prevented the cost of such assemblies from being reduced.
For example, in the lighted rearview mirror assembly of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,733,336 and/or 5,178,448, a molded plastic case is provided with a day/night toggle actuator and a support arm for mounting the assembly on a windshield mounted button, header support or the like. In order to manufacture that assembly, the day/night toggle actuator and support arm must be mounted within the case followed by insertion of appropriate reflector housings, and a wire harness/assembly incorporating a plug receptacle for mounting on the mirror housing, appropriate lamp or bulb holders, and appropriate switches, all of which must be inserted and mounted within the case. The wire harness/assembly itself requires separate assembly prior to insertion in the mirror housing so as to incorporate the necessary switches, bulb holders, plug connection and soldered or clip-type wire joints. These many connections and handling requirements create numerous possibilities for failure and improper wiring. In addition, the above assembly procedures have required extraordinary amounts of assembly time and manual labor, thereby driving up or preventing reductions in the cost of such assemblies.
The above assembly procedures have also restricted and/or prevented use of certain types of rearview mirror housings or cases. For example, the use of molded, polymeric rearview mirror housings in which a prismatic mirror element is snapped in place after molding of the housing and while the housing was still in a warm, somewhat soft and pliable state was very difficult because of the required assembly time for inserting the lamps, reflectors, bulb holders, plug connections, switches, wiring harnesses and the like, all before insertion of the reflective prism in sufficient time to allow a shrink fit of the minor case around the minor element.
In addition, prior commercially successful lighted mirrors formed from resinous plastic materials have also typically required the use of temperature resistant, high heat deflection temperature resins in order to withstand the high levels of heat generated therewithin by the lamps and other electrical components. Such temperature resistant resins are higher in cost making such assemblies more expensive.
Accordingly, an improved rearview mirror assembly for vehicles incorporating lamp assemblies or other electrical components such as instrumentation or controls, and an improved manufacturing method was desired for simplified assembly, increased reliability, increased heat management, reduction in assembly time, and flexibility for use with different types and styles of mirror housings and cases.